Suction sweeper



F. Nl. CASE.

SUCTION SWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAII, s, 1917. RENEwLD IIIAII. 20,19I.

1,408,074. muted Feb. 28, 1922.

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UNITED STATES rumors M. CASE, or CLEVELAND, oHro, AssIGNoR To THE Hoovnn sUc'rIo-N swnmna PATENT OFFICE. y

COMPANY, F NEW BERLIN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

SO'CTION SWEEPER.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented' Feb. 28 '1922.

Application led Itarch 8, 1917, Serial No. 153,437. Renewed March 20, 1918. Serial No. 223,674.

To all @cham it may concern:

Be it known that I FRANCIS M, CASE, a citizen ofthe United States,

residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogal and State of- Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Suction Sweepis illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an end elevation;

Figure 2'is a section along the line 2 2 of Figure'l;

Figure 3 is a` section along the line 3--3 of-Figure 2; .e j v Figure 4 is a detailed elevation. Like parts are indicated by the same lette in all the figures.

A is a housing connected by any suitable means not` here illustrated with a suction means such las is common in connection with suction sweepers One side of this housing is open as at A1to furnish a suction nozzle through which the air may be drawn and within which the brush may rotate by any suitable means not here shown, to clean a carpet or other covering bly vibration, by brushing and by suction. he suction nozzle A1 is bounded on both sides b anges A2 vAs which furnisha bearing sur ace for the carpet as it is drawn up by the suction against the nozzle slightly wider than the width of'the housing wall for the purpose of preventing too great friction between the carpet and the edges of the nozzle. Extend.-

ing across the suction nozzle are a series of fingers A4 A4. There may be a plurality of these fingers and depending on the length ofthe nozzle there may be any number suiiicient to furnish an adequate support to position the carpet in the path of the brush and to prevent its being drawn clear into the through apertures A". A7 is a countersunk aperture adapted to'vbe engaged by a screw A8 engaging the wall to hold the spring fingers in position. It will be noted that these fingers are slightly curved in front of the v brush and terminate near one side of the nozzle Just short ofits wall. They maybe removed by releasing the screw and withs drawing the U-shaped'structure, however,

under ordinary circumstances in view of the construct1onwh1ch I am about to describe .in connection with the brush, it will not be necessary to remove themf.

The ends of the housing are provided with relatively large circular apertures as indicated, such apertures being provided with a wall B and closed by a plug B1 centrally countersunk Jas at B2 to engage, the curved lug B3 on the spring finger B* which sp-ring finger 1s provided at one end with handle flanges B5 and is rotatably mounted on a screw B" onthe housin so that by moving the finger to one side t e spring will yield sufiiciently to permit the lug to be .released from the cuntersunk center and the Spring finger may then be moved aside to permit the plug to be withdrawn.

C 'is a brush shaft. C1 is a bearing sleeve,

4there being one at either end of the oshaft.

C2 is a brush rotatably mounted on the shaft, the bearing sleeve C1 extending slightl" beyoud the end of the brush. C is an adiusting and supporting collar. The shaft is squaredas at C4 to engage the socket in thel collar whereby vit is held against rotation. Thiscollar, it will be noted, is provided with a hub C*S in contact with the sleeve C1and is. channeled as at Ce about 'such hub Ithe flange "C7 forming said channel being'adap'ted to surround and extend outwardly a short distance beyond the end of the brush so that the end of the brush is covered by such flange, thebrush and flange being out of contact.- y 1 The collar C3 is provided at two points diametrically opposed with outwardly extending narrow lugs or ears D projecting upwardly from but integral with wider lug members D1. These wider lug members D1 are adapted to rest upon the plug B1. They are provided on either side. with a T-shaped air passage D2. This T-shaped air pas.- sage D2 is bent toward the plug .B1. D3 D3 .are air passages extending through the collar from the air passage D2 dis# charging into the channel C". D4 D4 are pins extending inwardly from the lug members D through the passages D2 adapted to penetrate one or the other of the perforations D5, D, D7, D8, D9, Dlo which extend clear through the plug B1. The purpose of the reinforcing lugs D is merely to stifen the structure and prevent all possibility of the pins breaking out. It will be understood that the pins pass right through the T-shaped air passage and the air may circulate around them.

The distance between the centers of the holes D, D6 equals the distance between the pins D4 D, This distance is equal to the distance between the holes D6 D7, the distance between the holes D'I D8, the distance between the holes DS D", the distance between the holes D9 D1", so that the pins D? may engage any .adjacent pair of these holes but cannot, as for instance, engage holes D D9 at the same time. l

It will be evident that while I have shown in my drawings an operative device still many changes might be made both in size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing materially from the spiritof my invention. l

It will be noted that the part A5 is contained within the sloty A9 being clamped intov position by a screw, the inclined headV of which jams the part A5 into the slot.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Assuming that the parts are in position as indicated in Figure l, and that it is necessary for any reason to remove the brush, and particularly that it is necessary to adjust it vertically, we proceed as follows v The spring finger which secures the end plate in position may be lifted so as to be freed from the central recess in the plate and swung lround to one side so as to leave the plate unsupported. The plate can now be pushed out, whereupon the end of the brush will be free. The brush can now be withdrawn endwise for .any desired purpose. If the brush is driven by a belt, the pulley would ordinarily be approximately in the middle of the brush, and by inserting the hand through the nozzle or opening in the mouth of that portion of the case here shown the belt can be thrown off of the pulley and the brush be removed.

If'it is necessary to adjust the brush it `can be done by inserting the pins in' the apsuiicient to take care of the ordinary wear of the brush, or tovadapt it for use with the various kinds of carpets, rugs o l floor coverings with which it is intended to be used.

The lingers or guards which lie beneath the brush and across the nozzle or opening are preferably secured in the manner indicated so as to be permanently in position. This is of course possible when the brush is to be removed endwise, but would not be pos-y sible if the brush were required to be removed outwardly through the nozzle opening. The three special features of the structure here shown are the permanent finger guards, the end removal of the brush and the vertical adjustability of the brush, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular proportions, details and forms of construction by which these several results are accomplished.

By the expression brush mounting means we wish to be understood as referring to whatever device may be inter# posed between the brush.I and the casing to support the brush as distinguished from the casing itself upon which the brush is, of course, mounted and which therefore in one sense of the word might be called the brush mounting means. It is obvious that either the pins or the holes may be arranged in groups or series or sets and it is also obvious that if the holes are arranged in sets the pins need not be and if the pins are arranged in sets the holes need not be. Itis also obvious that in the structure shown the pins andholes must be placed on opposite sides of the axis of the brush, though, of course, other arrangement of pins and holes could be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Another feature of the invention here dis--V closed is the use of the holes in the end of the case or in the adjusting plate in the end of the case for leading in air to be used l' combination with the other parts as a thread or dust guard for the end of the brush. For this purpose; of course, the end portion of the case need not be removable for the pins, of course, could be introduced from outside. through the holes in the apertures in the brush uard device or parts associated with the en of the brush. By the arrangement here shown and thus described one or more of these holes will always be open and since the channels in the end of the case lead to the channel about the endof the brush air will be drawn through the hole in whatever position of the adjustment the parts may be when the Amachine is in operation and thisA current of air drawn inwardly about the end or flanged around the brush will protect its bearing and associated parts.

I claim: l. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing provided with a dust inlet with a brush, said casing andbrush mounting means being provided one of them with pins and the other with holes, said holes arranged in two groups on opposite sides of the brush axis.

2. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing provided with a dust inlet with a brush mounted near such inlet and brush mounting means between the casing and the brush, said casing and brush mounting means being provided one of them with pins and the other with holes, said holes arranged in two groups on opposite sides of the brush axis, said holes arranged so that certain ones in each group are equi-distant from a certain two adjacent ones in the opposite group.

3. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing having a dust inlet and an end aperture with a removable closure, with a brush mounted near the inlet and brush mounting means between the closure and the brush, said closure and brushmounting means being provided one of them with pins and the other with a roup of holes arranged at one side of the axls of the brush and adapted to successively receive one of the pins.

4.- In a' suction -cleaner the combination of a casing having a dust inlet and an end aperture with a removable closure, with a brushmounted near the inlet and brushmounting means between the closure and the brush, said closure and brush mounting means being provided one of them with pins and the other with holes, said holes arranged in'two groups on opposite sides of the brush axis.

5. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing provided with a dust inlet with a .brush mounted in such inlet and brush mounting means between the casing and brush, said casingand brush mounting means being' provided with two sets of co-operating elements, each set consisting of two differing but coopera-tin species of elements, one of such species eing' arranged in a group at each side of the axis of thebrush and adapted to selectively engage one element of the other species.

6. In a suction cleaner an open suction nozzle, a brush mounted for rotation therein, the nozzle being permanently open for the inward passagev of air and dirt, the end walls of the nozzle being apertured, removable closures for such apertures and adjustable bearing supports for the brush mounted openings lpast the ends of the brush and pins adapted to be received in certain of said end openings and brush support so as tosupport the brush on the casing and leave at all times an air passage from the end openings through the support and past the ends of the brush.

8. In a suction cleaner an open suction nozzle, a brush mounted for rotation therein, the nozzle beingpermanently open for the inward passage of air and dirt, the end walls of the nozzle being apertured, removable closures for such apertures and adjustable bearing supports for the brush mounted on said closures, the bearing supports being immovable when the closures are in the aperture closing position, said closure provided with inlets adaptedto admit clean air about the brush bearings to prevent them from fouling.

9. 'In a suction cleaner a hood provided with a suction nozzle and an end opening for the removal ofthe brush, a closure therefor, a brush support, a brushy mounted in the hood on the support and a 'connection --means between the brush support and the closure, sald means comprising interlocking but separable parts said brush support shaped to overhang the end of the brush, but out of contact therewith so as to form a thread guard, said support provided with perforations to permit thepassage of air therethrough and about the end of the brush bearing.

10. In a suction cleaner a hood provided with a suction nozzle and an end opening vfor the removal of the brush, a closure therefor, a brushsupport, a brush mounted in the hood on the support and a connection means between the brush support and the closure, said means comprising interlocking but separable parts said closure, brush support and connection constituting a 'brush adjusting device, said brush support shaped to overhang the end of the brush, but out of contact therewith so as to form a thread guard,said support provided with perforations to permit the passage of air therethrough and about the end of the brush bearing.

11. In a suction cleaner an o en suction nozzle a brush mounted for rotation therein, the nozzle being ermanently open for the inward passage o air and dirt, one end wall of the nozzle being apertured, a removable end closure for such aperture, an adjustable bearing support for the brush mounted on said closure, thebearing support being immovable when the closure is in the apertured portion.

12. In a suction cleaner the combination with a casing provided with a dust inlet, with a brush mounted near such inlet and brush mounting means between the casing and the brush, said casing and brush mountioo said holes and about the end of the brush bea-ring.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of `two witnesses this 6th day of March, 1917. y

FRANCIS M. CASE.` Witnesses:

FRANCES P. RICHARDS, RUssELL M. BRANDT. 

